Spring assembly



March 22,1949. D, LEVINE 2,465,333

SPRING ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 11, 1945 Patented Mar. 22, 1949 2,4653% SPRING; ASSEMBLY l lavid I. Levine, wampscott, Mass, assignor. to S r n t D elq ii. 09, L nn M ss a P rt rs ip Application January 11, 1945, Eerial; No. 572,359

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to spring assemblies made up of a multiplicity of 'coil'springs and designed for use in bed springs, cushions, mat: tress'es and chair and seat backs, in conveyances or elsewhere. The invention deals particularly with spring assemblies wherein tie wire elements are used for assembling the springs into a unitary structure.

A main object of the invention is to. provide a tie wire-coil assembly which is economical and easy to assemble, yet has improved durability and integrity by reason of a more effective and improved mode of interlock.

With regard to economy, the interlock of this invention utilizes a tie. wire of relatively simple we fi is q n of t me her to re ed bu assembles such tie wire with the. convolutions oi juxtaposed springs in a novel manner predicated upon the utilization in cooperation with the tie Wi e o a p tiall des ned. lia. In lu of the s ia iii ii c 9i i scrim ad anta es item he andpo n ba h, Q mp ov s s ructura n e k am?- of sass o as embly The s ad: va a e wi e mor rea i nciersicq when ci nsic e i ii cosme ics. th th sr i oi Qf t e i ei sls si ai e ssqi Wh SEh a e, shown. a th ac -s merin ia s. wh

Fi 1 i a e aiifqi a 9 just 9., o a prin as emb y iiqi iiii s nte l cks smear ng the. i vention;

He 2 is a pe spec ve (19W c t e d e f he in ti n 9x 1 s f sia' ens-s nns. can; i i i inte l ck i h Stage o t ailin eeratiqn shown in Fig. 5.; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional detail talgen along i e i t 9i Bis- Eiei s a. side ier i i 9 the ai i qa ia nd J s 1 and. ar aeis' eii vie s. qqitrssp 1.15 ii t t views-1 His nd, f 7, 9f amqiiifi x id i i. 9 i iisr qs i inrei ism s a a ted. r a t cula us s spr n t me with oi hr ne Iq xample i i he 1 1 o s n le see? his dtss ri ies in my prior Patents'Nosf 2, 1Q7;,'1'l and 2 1 1 6;- 7.96.

as ics iib d hese ate ts s ish. @9 s ifiiies are assembl d i s ac d sew b iiiiiapoj s 991 a t a e. h l i ii se' sla s slii s b th terposition of tie wires. Such an assembly s ew in. e cemen n drawin s wh i its tai s i ns widenin by th ei nite numeral l0 and the tie wires by the reference numeral I 2.

The tie wire. utilized in the assembly interlock at this nr i i i s f he m simple w f ormation as that shown in my prior Patent No. 2 11 6,796 and comprises a wire having two or more spaced oilset loops 1.4 one of which oiiset portions is shown in Fig. 4. The operation of forming the tie wire utilized in the present interloci; is therefore simpler than that shown in my prior Patent No. 2,197,131. Improved interlock is accomplished however by the use of a novel clip shown in its preferred form in Fig. 2.

This clip I5 may be formed from sheet stock,

as of metal. The stock is apertured centrally and folded over longitudinally to form a U- shaped fold spanning the space intermediate p arallelly extending base members 3}) and In the preferred form shown, the bases and 3 l lie in a plane substantially normal to the planes of the legs 2| and 22 of the fold 20. The told 20 is interrupted by a recess 24 formed by the aperture in the stock, to provide a transverse passageway through the legs 2| and 22 of the fold 20 for a purpose to be described. As will be understood, these clips l5 may be readily stamped out of sheet metal and diepressed to the configuration shown.

' To simplify the explanation of the invention, the manner of preferred assembly of the clip i5 is illustrated by the showing of Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 and a description of these steps Will be given for the purpose of describing the structure of the interlock.

As a first step, the clip [5 is suspended over an arc of an end convolution of one coil unit ID, with an arc of the end convolution extending through the longitudinal channel formed bythe fold 20 of the clip l5 in the manner shown in E gs.

The spring unit having the end convolution 3 4 with its clip l5 suspended thereon is then passed over an end convolution 36 of an adjacent unit Ill so that the end convolution 3 4 overlaps the end convolution 3B and the base member 3| oi the clip I5 passes under end convolution 36, all as shown in Fig. 4.

At this stage of the operation the tie wire l2 with its offset portion l4, shown in Fig. 4, is .brought into position to be passed transversely of the clip through the apertures formed in the legs 2| and 22 of fold 20 by the recess 24, and between the clip base members 30 and 3! and the portion 34a oi spring convolution 34 seated in the. channel of told 21]. The offset portion H, the terminal portion Ma of which may be pre-bent to the form shown in Fig. 4, is then passed beneath the end convolution 36 so that the parts take the position shown in Figs, and 6, with the longitudinal portions of the tie wire I2 lying on clip base 30 and underlying, on both sides of clip 1'5, end convolution 36 and with the terminal portion 14a of the offset [4 extending beyond the overlapped portion of end convolution 36.

When the parts have been brought to this position, the end portion Ma may be crimped to interlock the tie wire with the clip and end convolutions. In the form shown the end portion is crimped upwardly about the convolution 36 toward the apex of fold 26 into the position shown in Figs. 1, '7 and 8. During this crimping operation, the clip [5 is deformed, and the fold 2|] may, depending upon the pressure used in the crimping operation, even be collapsed to bring its opposed legs 2| and 22 into engagement with each other, as shown in Fig. '7, to firmly lock the end convolution 34 in the fold. At the same time there may be some deformation of the base members 36 and 3| as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The crimping operation also acts to firmly lock the end convolution 36 between the tie wire crimped portion Ma and the outer sides of legs 22 of clip I5.

By reason of the particular assembly, a firm engagement of the end convolutions 34 and 36 may be attained without excessive crimping pressure, and the parts are so arranged that the crimping operation may be readily performed manually with pliers or the like.

It has been found that an assembly as above described acts to hold securely the end convolution of the units l6, especially the end convolution 34. The fold 26 restrains rotation of end convolution 34 about the axis of its coil while the engagement of the tie wire oiiset l4 and outer sides of leg 22 of fold 20 with end convolution 36 restrains end convolution 36 from rotation about the axis of its coil. The assembly as a whole therefore provides a more durable interlock which is not so loosened by repeated depression and release of the spring units of the assembly during use as to permit distortion from the original coil positions. Nevertheless the interlock does not interfere with any required flexing of the end convolutions such as is necessary in permitting desirable depression and release of the coil units.

The improved interlock thus secures superior results with the expenditure of less force during the assembly operation.

A further advantage of the interlock is that the same tie wire may be used for different sizes of coil convolutions by merely substituting a larger or smaller clip l5.

When a wider clip is used for the same size of spring, the assembly may have the modified form of interlock shown in Figs. 9 and 10. In this instance, the assembly is made by passin the clip 40 over the two adjacent convolutions which are received in the channel of the clip 40. The tie wire offset portion I4 is then passed through the apertures in the legs of the fold of the clip 40 to the position shown in Fig. 9 and thereafter the end convolution I la of the offset is crimped upwardly over both end convolutions to the position shown in Fig. 10. During this crimping operation the leg 42 of clip 46 may be bent towards the other leg of the clip 36 to the position shown in Fig. to clamp the end convolutions tightly against each other, against the clip and against tie wire offset [4. As shown by this modified form 0! clip, the outwardly extending base 50 may be provided on only one side of the centrally apertured clip, namely, on the side which receives the tie wire l2. Bendin in of leg 42 moves the bottom edge of the leg into a protected position where it will not be so likely to catch on other parts.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the channel of the clip 4!! is sufiiciently wide to accommodate arcs of end convolutions of both coils 34 and 36 in edge-to-edge relation in the same plane and without overlappmg.

The improved interlocks herein described may be utilized between all the spring units of each row, thereby forming a group of springs all fastened with the improved interlock of this invention.

I claim:

1. A spring assembly comprising a plurality of rows of coil spring units, tie wires for tieing together convolutions of units in one row to units in another row; each tie wire having ofiset loops spaced longitudinally therealong, and U-shaped clips at junctures of the tie wires with the units which they tie, the legs of each of said clips enfolding a portion of a convolution of a unit in one row, both legs of each clip being apertured, and an offset loop of a tie wire extendin transversely from one side of each clip through said apertures below said enfolded convolution portion and being crimped around a portion of a convolution of an adjacent unit in the same row to interlock at each of said junctures said two convolutions, said tie wire and said clip.

2. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the offset loops of the tie wires are crimped around the adjacent convolution portions in a direction towards the apexes of the U-shaped clips.

3. A spring assembly comprising a plurality of rows of coiled spring units, convolutions of adjacent units in said rows being in overlapping relation, tie wires for retaining units in one row on spaced centers with units in another row, each tie wire having offset loops spaced longitudinally therealong, and U-shaped clips at junctures of said overlapping convolutions, one leg of each clip extending between the overlapped portions of the adjacent convolutions with a portion of one of said convolutions lying enfolded between the legs of each clip, both legs of each clip being apertured, and an ofiset loop of a tie wire extending transversely from one side of each clip through said apertures below said enfolded convolution portion to lock said enfolded convolution portion in the clip and being crimped around a portion of the other convolution to lock said other convolution against the outside of the leg at the other side of the clip.

4. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a convolution of an intervening spring unit in one of said rows lies outside of the leg of a clip at the juncture of the intervening spring unit with an adjacent unit in the same row on one side thereof, and is enfolded between the legs of a clip at the juncture of saidintervening unit with the adjacent unit in said row on the other side thereof.

. 5. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the overlapped portions of the convolutions locked to a clip both lie on the same side of the tie wire loop extending through the legs of that clip.

6. A spring assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a convolution enfolded in a clip overlies the convolution locked against the leg of that clip and both convolutions overlie the tie wire loop extending through the legs of the clip.

7. A spring assembly comprising a. plurality of rows of coil spring units, tie wires for retaining units in one row on spaced centers with units in another row, each tie wire having offset loops spaced longitudinally therealong, and flanged U- shaped clips at junctures of adjacent coils in each row, the legs of each clip enfolding a portion of a convolution of a unit in one row, both legs of each clip being apertured, and a tie wire being seated on the'flange of each clip with an ofl'set loop thereof extending transversely through said apertures below said enfolded convolution portion to lock said enfolded convolution portion in said clip and being crimped upwardly around a portion of a convolution of an adjacent unit in the same row to interlock at each of said Junetures said two convolutions, said tie wire and said clip.

8. In a spring assembly having a plurality of rows of coil spring units and tie wires for retaining units in one row in spaced relation to units in another row, said tie wires having spaced ofiset loops, in combination, interlocking means fastening adjacent portions of convolutions of units in one row with a tie wire comprising an apertured clip folded over arcs of convolutions of two adjacent units and a tie wire ofiset loop extending through apertures in the legs of the fold of said clip below said convolutions to lock said convolutions in "the folded clip, said offset loop terminating in crimped position to retain said tie wire interlocking relation with said clip and said convolutions.

DAVID I. LEVINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number" Name Date 562,385 Frost June 23, 1896 1,395,421 Johnson Nov. 1, 1921 1,742,917 Landell Jan. 7, 1930 1,948,754 Gail Feb. 27, 1934 2,050,105 Lewis Aug. 4, 1936 2,116,796 Levine May 10, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 494,245 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1938 

